Mechanism for slitting and peeling bananas.



No. 803,761. PATENTED NOV. 7, 1905.

A. HICKS.

MECHANISM FOR SLITTING AND FEELING BANANAS. APPLICATION FILED MAR.15, 1904.

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A. HICKS. MECHANISM FOR SLITTING AND FEELING BANANAS APPLICATION FILED MAR.15, 1904.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALONZO'HICKS, OF WEST NEIV BRIGHTON, NEW YORK.

MECHANISM FOR SLITTING AND FEELING BANANAS- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 7. 1905.

Application filed March 15, 1904. Serial No. 193,307.

, which my invention appertains may understand, construct, and use my invention, I will proceed to describe it, referring to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a plan view. vation with the actuating-gearing removed. Fig. 3 is an end view, and Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section through line X X of Fig. 3.

A represents side frames, which carry the several rolls in suitable journals located there- 1n.

B is the top frame.

C is the bottom frame, on which the side frames are suitably secured.

D represents shafts journaled in side frames A and carrying on their surface grippingrolls E, which grip the banana after it has passed the slitting-knives F. Slitting-knives F are secured to the top and bottom frames B and C just in front of the bite of the gripping-rolls E and extend through the bite of said rolls to divide the banana in halves.

G is a traveling platform carried by shafts H by links in a well-known manner.

I is a marking-wheel secured on a shaft, which is journaled in side frames A and runs across the machine from side to side. J is a resistance-table located under the said marking-wheel I and held upon two cross-rodssecured in the side frames A. It is designed to take the thrust of the marking-wheel beneath the upper ply of the platform G when a slitted banana passes under thesaid markingwheel I.

K represents two rolls mounted on shafts N, which journal in side frames A, and the upper roll K is set forward of the lower roll, so that the curved end of a banana after leaving the platform G will catch in the bite of the said roll readily, and thus the meat of the banana will be squeezed out of the peel,

dropping forward of the said rolls, while the Fig. 2 is a side elepeel passes through between the rolls and drops on the outer side thereof.

The surface travel of all the rolls, platforms, and all moving parts is controlled by the train of gears on the ends of the shafts and is designed to be equal speed.

The operation of the machine is as follows: A banana is forced against the slitting-knife F and cut in two until it reaches the bite of the drawing-rolls E, by which rolls E the banana is carried along onto the traveling platform G, where the two halves turn upon their backs meat up. The separator O keeps them apart, The platform carries the pieces under the marking-wheel I, which cuts into the meat and marks it into small divisions, the thrust of the marking wheel coming against-the resistance-plate J. The marking wheel and platform carry the marked halves of the banana onward until the curved ends of the banana enter between the inclined rolls K, which squeeze the meat out of the peel, and the peel passes through the rolls.

Thus the meat and peel are separated in shape for further operations of drying, &c.

Separators O are secured to the under side of top frame B and extend down to the level of the platform G. I am not aware that bananas have ever been peeled by machinery of any kind previous to my invention.

Having now fully described my invention and the manner in which I have embodied it, what I claim as new and as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is Amachine for slitting and peeling bananas, including in combination, a frame, a slittingknife set perpendicularly thereof, a set of horizontal gripping rolls behind the knife revolubly mounted in the frame, a horizontal traveling platform arranged behind the grippingroll s, a wheel revolubly supported by the frame above the platform, and provided with means for marking the split fruit, a resistance-plate fixed below the platform and opposite the marking-wheel, and a set of squeezing-rolls revolubly mounted in the frame and situated behind the marking-wheel.

Signed at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, this 2d day of March, A. D. 1904.

ALONZO HICKS.

Witnesses: JOHN A. HICKS, PRlsoiLLA GORMAN. 

